07/18/2026
An airport lounge — without the security screening or boarding pass.
Credit card companies American Express and Chase are increasingly waging their luxury lounge wars outside the airport. From an air-conditioned retreat in the middle of the desert at Coachella to an exclusive athlete meet-and-greet at the Paris Olympics, these companies are investing big in premium hospitality spaces to win over affluent cardholders.
Chase and American Express are courting wealthy customers who are not only willing to pay the rising annual fees but also rack up higher balances on their cards.
Those with a credit score of 720 or above, which is typically required to get approved for a Sapphire Reserve or Platinum card, spend more than double the average of those within a score between 660 and 719, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia.
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